Kevin Willett's blog

Enrollment management professional with extensive marketing and communications experience.Demonstrated ability in admissions, recruitment, enrollment, and sales.Increased inquiries & applications by more than 20% in every place I have worked.A creative problem solver who knows how to effectively streamline processes, increase awareness and improve conversion through effective communications.

Developed a new comprehensive enrollment plan which included giving the programs greater exposure through better messaging and follow up communication.

Increased inquiries by more than 200%, fall applications by 90% and fall new student enrollment by 88%

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Redesigned the admissions website to provide a more effective user experience including using whiteboard videos to explain benefits to the audience.Faculty and student quotes were added to give context and vision to the programs and videos to show prospective students the path to success from newly enrolled students to alumni success stories.

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Added a new enrollment management system giving the college its first CRM and the ability to automate communications to prospective students.

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Reached out to build strategic partners through the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and did presentations at local businesses to begin to create pipelines for enrollment.

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Developed a grad ambassador program to help with personalized recruitment, enhancing our ability to connect and helping to develop social media content to begin inbound marketing.

Directed alumni admissions and improved alumni engagement and participation.Led a group of 10 alumni area coordinators and over 1700 alumni volunteers who covered admissions events (college fairs and receptions) both domestically and internationally.

Increased membership by 125% (added 1000 new members) and participation by 200%.

Alumni Recruiting:

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Developed the volunteer recruitment plan to maximize event coverage at college fairs and all other events both domestically and internationally. Organized over 500 events a year.

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Created a volunteer portal which automated volunteer registration and scheduling.The process gave accountability with event materials delivery and training.

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Developed and implemented a special interest recruiting program to counsel and assist children of alumni and applicants of interest to the Development Office in the admissions process.

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Handled all legacy admissions interviews and presented those applications to the committee, recommendations for admission.

As Realtor®’s and Certified Decorating Professionals®, Laurie Cote and Jacqui DiCenso formed ReVamped Interiors to fill a need in their real estate marketplace. In an area with such a shortage of inventory, they realized that the most important and beneficial way to help a buyer find a home (or for that matter, help a seller get the most value for their’s) is to enlighten them on the possibilities the home offers. It’s often hard for a seller to see their home’s potential when they are living there day-to-day.

It’s evident when you work with this team that their experience benefits both the client’s or seller’s they engage with. ReVamped will work relentlessly to help you get the most value for your home (or—prevent you from making a change that could have no return on your investment.)

ReVamped Interiors takes home design, redesign or staging to a whole new level. Not only will they go room-by-room inside your home but will also make suggestions on the curb appeal — therefore providing a complete home assessment

Be sure to check out the ReVamped Interiors website to see all that Laurie and Jacqui have to offer home owners and real estate agents!

Corporate counsel with extensive experience in commercial transactions (ranging from $5,000 to $1 million), supporting business organizations, intellectual property, legal training, and providing counsel and advice to all levels of the organization, including executives.Experience working with sales, finance, operations, information security, marketing, revenue recognition, product management, engineering, and other departments throughout the organization.Dual background in business and law allows the ability to communicate issues with business teams, propose various strategies to limit risks, and provide guidance and practical solutions.

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Corporate & Business Law

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Commercial Transactions

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Contract Negotiation & Management

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Drafting Vendor & Customer Contracts

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Non-Disclosure & Licensing Agreements

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Corporate Governance

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Mergers & Acquisitions

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Legal Research & Analysis

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Marketing Laws

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Sweepstakes & Contests

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Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)

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Legal Advice & Counsel

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Copyrights & Trademarks

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Legal Training

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Strong Written & Oral Communication

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Fast-Pace Environment

Professional Experience

INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP, INC. (IDG), Framingham, MA2010-2017

Handled commercial transactions and intellectual property in a privately held company that provides technology media, data, and marketing services to the information technology industry.Was called back by IDG’s General Counsel to work in the corporate legal department after being laid-off by IDG’s subsidiary, IDG World Expo Corp.

Corporate Counsel, 2011-2017

Trademark Paralegal (Contract), 2010

Reviewed, negotiated and drafted various agreements ensuring that such contracts were executed in compliance with company policy and applicable laws and regulations, including:

Handled all legal issues in a privately held subsidiary of International Data Group, Inc (IDG) organizing and hosting conferences, trade shows, and events for the information technology and electronic entertainment industries.

Manager, Legal Affairs

Reduced negotiation time by 60% through development of a master agreement.

Drafted, reviewed, and negotiated various contracts ensuring that such contracts were executed in compliance with company policy and applicable laws and regulations, including:

Counseled and advised all levels of the organization on legal issues and actions affecting commercial disputes.

Supported IDG’s General Counsel with domestic and international acquisitions (4 in 3 years):due diligence, asset purchase agreements, and LLC agreements.

Collaborated with IDG’s General Counsel with closing out of business entities, including drafting transfers of ownership/bill of sale; copyright, domain name, and trademark assignment; and all necessary documents to ensure successful closure of the businesses.

Trained marketing staff in telemarketing and e-mail marketing laws and regulations to ensure compliance with the Telemarketing Sales Rules and CAN-SPAM Act and minimize the company’s liability exposure.

Researched sweepstakes and contest, within 2 days of request, to determine how to run a legal program; drafted necessary document; prepared and registered program filings; and oversaw program execution to assure compliance with strict regulations in multiple jurisdictions.

With over fifteen years of experience, Doug Carlson is focused on serving the life, health, supplemental, retirement and long-term care insurance needs of small businesses and middle-income families and individuals. He personally meets with clients to understand their needs and provide objective guidance and solutions.

In the confusing world of insurance, Doug is someone who can break it down for you. He works with nationally recognized insurance companies to help you find quality, affordable insurance. He'll make the calls, compare the plans and prices, and help identify insurance plan options.

An innovative scientific leader with extensive management experience in the biotech industry with emphasis on developing and validating new molecular biology methods for emerging technologies and adapting these cutting-edge technologies to a variety of uses both in R&D and clinical procedures.A broad range of experience in different company settings ranging from initial startups to multinational companies.Experience in the area of Sales and Marketing with strong interpersonal skills and presentation skills.

Director, Genomic Applications

Headed projects centered around Bio-Rad’s bead technology to increase the manufacturing capacity for bead generation and to demonstrate feasibility for bead-based targeted sequencing.

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Led an effort to scale-up the bead manufacturing process for the ddSEQ Single Cell next generation sequencing (NGS) application to meet increasing demand for the product.The new procedure was transferred to Manufacturing and validated for market introduction.

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Headed a project to develop a droplet-based bead delivery technology for targeted sequencing for NGS.Initial feasibility was demonstrated.

RainDance Technologies, Inc., Billerica, MA2008 – 2017

Director, Genomic Applications

Directed the feasibility, development, optimization, and release of products to the market for multiple applications for the ThunderStorm, ThunderBolts and RainDrop systems which are based on the RainDance proprietary droplet technology

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Developed and released to market targeted NGS sequence enrichment applications including:

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DNA sequencing.

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Bisulfite sequencing for methylation analysis.

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RNA sequencing.

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Developed and released to market RainDrop digital PCR applications including:

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Multiplexed dPCR assays.

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High sensitivity copy number detection assay for noninvasive prenatal DNA testing for trisomy.

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Led feasibility demonstrations of new applications using the RainDance droplet technology:

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Single cell analysis.

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Linked reads.

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High sensitivity variant detection using NGS sequence enrichment.

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Responsible for writing and executing development plans to meet application and instrument performance targets along with verification and validation plans for manufacturing and release of product to the market.

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Managed proof of performance and collaboration studies to support the activities of the sales and marketing team and to demonstrate the capabilities of the current applications.

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Managed two bioinformatics scientists responsible for the development of tools necessary for targeted sequencing on NGS instruments.

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Primer design pipelines for the ThunderStorm and ThunderBolts applications.

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Pipelines for the analysis of data generated by the targeted DNA application, RNA application, Single Cell and Linked Reads applications

Sequenom, Inc.,Newton, MA2005 – 2008

Senior Manager, Technology and Applications

Scientific support for the sales and marketing team.

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Traveled with the sales force throughout North America and overseas and delivered seminars at universities and private institutions on the science and technology behind Sequenom’s MassARRAY instrument and applications in the areas of high throughput genotyping, quantitative gene expression, SNP detection and quantitative methylation analysis.

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Identified potential collaboration opportunities of scientific value to Sequenom.Managed the running of collaborations from start to finish including experimental design and data analysis.

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Managed feasibility studies for potential customers including study design and presentation of data.

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Held workshops with existing customers to help them better understand and utilize the MassARRAY instrument and its applications.

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Developed new applications for Sequenom’s MassARRAY platform including copy number detection and low percentage mutation detection in tumor tissue samples.

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Performed market research to evaluate the needs of customers in the areas of genotyping, gene expression and methylation.

Additional Relevant Experience

Exact Sciences Inc., Marlborough, MA

Director, Translational Research

Managed the clinical laboratory, heading laboratory screening and assay development research in the field of molecular diagnostics.

Demonstrated initial proof of concept for using mass spectrometry genotyping by chemical cleavage of DNA which led to the NucleaveTM genotyping platform. Participated in product development and commercial launch.

Cloned and expressed in bacteria and mammalian cells, various constructs of the transferrin receptor harboring an amino acid polymorphism.

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The expressed proteins were used in an attempt to generate polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies capable of binding differentially to each allelic form of the transferring receptor causing inhibition of function.

Ares Advanced Technology (Ares Serono, Inc.), Randolph, MA

Principal Investigator

Headed Endogenous Gene Activation Project.

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Developed technique of using gene targeting through homologous recombination to activate the expression of silent endogenous genes by the insertion of a transcriptionally active promoter 5' of a protein coding region.

Ph.D. program, Department of Microbiology.Completed all course work and passed Ph.D. qualifying exam.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Bachelor of Science Degree, Biology

Awards

Sequenom, Inc.2007

Outstanding Sales Support Award – Awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the support of sales activity.

RainDance Technologies, Inc.2014

Eclipse Award - Recognizes outstanding contribution to RainDance through discovery, development or implementation of new technology, science or business practices that meaningfully enhance the customer experience and our future business.

Program & People Manager/Director for Social Services, Educational and Disabilities Programs

Extensive background in community-based program management.Unique combination of professional and personal strengths—from both the head and the heart—offering a successful, productive management style and a dedication to helping others. Seeking to provide similar success in a non profit or mission-focus organization.

High-level skills include:

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Building Relationships

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Outreach & Networking

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Customer Service

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Marketing

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Advocacy

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Presentation

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Collaboration with Diverse Staff/ Partners

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Communication

SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE

The Cambridge Institute of International Education - Waltham, MA 2014-2017

(Currently Cambridge Network) International student program provider, partnering with 200+ private/public high schools served by eight offices in the U.S. and China.

Senior Manager of Program Operations: Progressed from Residential Manager through Team Leader, to Senior Manager role. Supported 200 international students, their host families, and 25 schools through operations, financial, and service management. Managed a team of seven remote Support Services Coordinators, from interviewing and onboarding through performance evaluation and professional development.

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Developed and empowered staff through clear communication of expectations and hands-on leadership.

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Identified competency gaps in staff. Conceived, developed, and executed an online program enhancing new-hire training. Improved knowledge base of company, Chinese education and culture, processes, and responsibilities of role, with program remaining in place until hire of corporate trainer.

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Delivered a 6% increase in private school enrollment, during year when company-wide enrollment was down 15% from previous year; Converted energetic, high-touch school relationship management and support to concrete results.

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Spearheaded and implemented the best practice of the Parents Program of the ICO, the In-country orientation program for up to 2000 incoming students and families annually.

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Achieved company-high 90% host-family retention rate (company average 75%–80%), while expanding base by 20% through proactive social media, school partnership, and relationship-building with current host families

Achieved under-budget regional financial management, motivated staff creativity in the planning and coordination of free, low-cost, or group-discounted events that were well attended.

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Maximized operational efficiency, proactively addressing atypical procedural issues arising from student moves, school transfers, etc. through development and distribution of best practices guides to managers and staff.

Massachusetts MENTOR- Lawrence, MA2013-2014Non-profit community-based program serving children and adolescents requiring a higher level of care and clinical support than traditional foster care models.

Clinical Supervisor:Earned clinical supervisor role following three months as temporary employee, managing four Program Service Coordinators in the development and implementation of service plans ensuring service quality for 40–50 children in intensive foster care

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Supported foster care children in the accomplishment of social, emotional, and relationship goals; demonstrated empathetic listening skills and support in helping children make healthy decisions

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Reduced the number of escalated situations by approximately 15%, modeling and coaching successful interactions and communications with children in the care of service coordinators.

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) - Lowell, MA 2012-2013

Non-profit organization protecting and promoting the rights and well-being of children and families through pregnancy/parenting support, clinical mental health counseling and care coordination, adoptive/foster parent support services and advocacy.

Engaged families through home visits, mentoring them in strength-based goal development to achieve and sustain success.

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Ensured responsiveness to youth and family needs, listening and honoring views, and mentoring in the facilitation of positive conversations when challenges arose.

Child Development Center - Bozeman, MT2010-2011

Non-profit organization supporting children with developmental delays and disabilities through evaluation and diagnostic services, early intervention, and family education/support.

Intake Coordinator: Hired as sole professional in Bozeman office, serving the community as the only agency offering assessments to diagnose developmental delays in preschool-age children; contributed to Child Development Center program growth, increasing role from part-time to full-time.

Observed and screened candidates through in-person visits; Developed written actions plans for families, including clinical findings, recommendations, and resources.

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Created resource guide for parents of children with disabilities as Master’s thesis and used as foundational program support.

Family Outreach - Bozeman, MT2010-2011Non-profit, home-visiting agency serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities or developmental delays through education and support services. Serves average of 600 active monthly consumers in Southwestern Montana.

Community Outreach Coordinator and Family Support Specialist: Generated public awareness and a 15% increase in referrals of eligible children for program created through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

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Built relationships with community organizations and parent groups, advocated for families, and collaborated with local Child and Family Services and treatment teams in assessment, home visits, case management.